Electronic device manufacturing systems may include multiple process chambers arranged around a mainframe housing having a transfer chamber and one or more load lock chambers configured to pass substrates into the transfer chamber. These systems may employ a transfer robot, which may be housed in the transfer chamber, for example. The transfer robot may be a selectively compliant articulated robot arm (SCARA) robot or the like, and may be adapted to transport substrates between the various chambers and one or more load lock chambers. For example, the transfer robot may transport substrates from process chamber to process chamber, from load lock chamber to process chamber, and vice versa.
Processing of substrates in semi-conductor component manufacturing is generally carried out in multiple tools, where the substrates travel between the tools in substrate carriers (e.g., Front Opening Unified Pods or FOUPs). The FOUPs may be docked to an EFEM (sometimes referred to as a “factory interface or FI”), which includes a load/unload robot therein that is operable to transfer substrates between the FOUPs and the one or more load locks of the tool therefore allowing pass through of substrates for processing. Existing systems may benefit from efficiency and/or process quality improvements.
Accordingly, systems, apparatus, and methods having improved efficiency and/or capability in the processing of substrates are desired.